Painter Howard Taylor has taken an unconventional approach to how he creates art.
Howard Taylor's approach to painting is not a traditional one. He has thrown convention to the wind by leaping at and setting fire to his canvasses.
This creative approach was inspired by an experience he had one day in Dublin city centre. Walking near Liberty Hall, Howard Taylor was nearly hit by a car, fortunately he took a leap backwards. Inspired by this experience, he decided to try out jumping at a canvas in his Dublin studio. To his delight, he found that he could paint while he was off the ground.
I put a canvas on the wall and took a leap at it.
Viewers see the funny side of his approach and connect with it. They are curious to see how he will approach his next work. For Howard Taylor communication is the important part of his artistic endeavour, and something he believes is lacking in many of the works produced by the masters.
While he can paint in a conventional manner, he believes that his audience is more attracted to the more abstract work.
Susan McKenzie who has a modeled for Howard Taylor believes that humour is a key element in his work which at the same time appeals to viewers on a deeper level. Critics have described Howard Taylor as Europe's "looniest artist" and he is hopeful that with a bit of luck, he might become the world's looniest artist.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 14 December 1983. The reporter is Jackie Hayden.
